Cagliari boss Davide Nicola hails impact of Claudio Ranieri before Roma meeting | OneFootball

With the likes of Zito Luvumbo, Florinel Coman, and Gabriele Zappa unavailable, Cagliari boss Davide Nicola admitted his squad must adapt to key absences in their league clash against Roma.

Hovering four points above the relegation zone, the Sardnians travel to the Italian capital winless in their last four league outings while the Giallorossi have won 7 of their last 8 games in Serie A.

“We had already worked on different alternatives and a slightly adjusted approach on the pitch,” Nicola told DAZN before kickoff.

“Some players have played a lot, so it was also important to give them time to recover. In Zappa’s case, it was almost a forced recovery, but in any case, we had planned to give some players a breather.”

As for his coaching opposition, Nicola was quick to laud the impact of Roma’s Claudio Ranieri, who successfully guided Cagliari to salvation last season.

“I believe Ranieri is an inspiration, not only for his character and the way he conducts himself but also for how he communicates with respect,” he explained.

“His remarkable career speaks for itself—he has always made his teams play well, achieved great results, and adapted to any footballing context.”